The research team led by Youn Sang Kim has adapted a transducer to harvest the mechanical energy from flowing water. The energy is then converted to electrical energy which can be used to power up devices and appliances.

The scientists were able to demonstrate that a single drop of water can generate enough electricity to power an LED bulb for a brief moment.

The study could lead to a sustainable system that would allow people to generate power in their homes from things that they don’t even think much about like flushing water in toilets or water running from the sink and in rain gutters.